Paper-feeding machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet 1. B. MGKEE.

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

Ino'entor: Robe/Z J1. 91562 b fawuY/lc 7 neya Witnesses.-

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Mel) B. MOKEB.

PAPER FEEDING MAUHINB.

No. 671,601. Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

m: Muflms PETER; w. Pumaumxl. WASHIN IBM 0 L UNITED STATES A'rnNr intentROBERT MCKEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PAPER-FEEDING MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,601, dated November17, 1896.

Application filed February 21, 1895. Serial No. 539,263. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT MOKEE, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Paper-Feeding Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

The obj eot of my invention is to so construct a pneumatic paper-feedingdevice for printing-presses, folding-machines, or the like as to insurethe positive and regular feed of sin gle sheets, the mechanism beingdevised with especial reference to the avoidance on the one hand ofmissing the feed and on the other hand of feeding more than one sheet ata time.

\Vith this object in View my invention consists in certain constructionsand combinations of parts, as fully set forth and specifieally claimedhereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side View of sufficient of a paper-feeding device toillustrate my present invention. Fig. 2 is afront View of the same.Figs. 3, at, and 5 are views in different positions of those parts ofthe mechanism which act directly upon the sheet. Fig. 6 is adiagrammatic representation of the blast and suction mechanism used inconnection with the machine, and Fig. 7 is a similar view showing themovable parts in different adjustments from those of Fig. (3.

The opposite frames of the machine are represented at a, and theseframes have suitable bearings for screw-shafts a, (shown by dotted linesin Fig. 2,) said shafts engaging with nuts at the opposite ends of thetable I), which supports the pile of sheets to be fed, the upper ends ofthe screw-shafts a being provided with bevel-wheels a which mesh withbevelwheels 0. on a transverse shaft or, adapted to suitable bearings onthe fixed frame, said shaft being capable of being turned either byhand, through the medium of a crank a, or intermittently by powerthrough the medium of a ratchet-wheel a and pawl a", the latter beinghung to an arm a which has a longitudinal slot a", adapted for thereception of a sliding block'a mounted upon the crank-pin a of a disk acarried by one end of the main shaft A of the machine, which shaft maybe rotated in any suitable manner. By this means a single vibrat-ion isimparted to the arm a on each rotation of the shaft A, and a partialrotation of the shaft ((1 and of the screw-shafts a is thereby caused,this rotation being sufficient to effect the elevation of the pile ofsheets to the extent of a single sheet, so as to maintain the top of thepile always in proper operative relation with the selecting and feedingdevices, to be hereinafter described.

In the event of an excessive elevation of the pile of sheets furtherelevation. of the same for a time is prevented by means of one or moredetector-rods 11', two of these rods being shown in the present instanceand the rods being carried by arms 15 on a rock-shaft b the rods beingadjustable in respect to said arms by means of thumb-nuts b engagingwith the threaded stems of the rods and suitably confined to the arms 12so as to be free to turn thereon.

The lock-shaft b has an arm U with projecting pin Z), adapted to actupon a toe a, projecting from the pawl a so that whenever 7 5 therods 1) are lifted the toe (1 will be depressed and the pawl a will belifted, so as to be free from engagement with the teeth of theratchet-wheel a, further movement of the latter being thereforeprevented until the rods 1) again drop to their normal position. Therods 1/ have at their lower ends enlarged heads b rounded on theunderside and bearing upon the top sheet of the pile, and the rock-shaftb has an arm b carrying at its upper end an antifriction-rollerI), actedupon by a cam Z9 on the shaft A, as shown in Fig.

2, so as to provide for a positive lift of the detector-rods to anextent sufficient to free their heads If from contact with the top sheet0 of paper during the feeding of the same, this lift of the rodshowever, not aifecting the proper performance of their function as ameans of preventing excessive rise of the pile of sheets. 9 5

The devices which directly act upon the top sheet of paper in eifecti11g the feed of the same are a series of ruffling-fingers (Z, a seriesof suction-nozzles f, a retainer or clamp-bar i, and a stop-bar k.

The bar 2' is adapted to act at intervals upon the forward end of thetop sheet of paper, so as to clamp the same during the forward movementof the rufl'ling-finger, the bar being then raised, so as not tointerfere with the free withdrawal and forward feed of the sheet by thesuction-nozzles, and so as also to permit of the loosening of the topsheet up to the front edge of the same, which is prevented fromadvancing on the rise of the bar iby reason of its contact with thestop-bark, which end a spur wheel i engaging with a rack Fat the lowerend of a guided bar t the upper end of the latter having anantifriction-roller i running in contact with a cam 2' on the shaft A,as shown in Fig. 2, and maintained in contact with said cam by means ofa spring i so that intermittent reciprocating motions are imparted tothe bar 2' The ruining-fingers (Z are carried by arms (15, secured to arock-shaft (1 which is mounted so as to be free to turn in the lowerends of arms (Z loosely hung upon a transverse shaft 15 at the upper endof the machine, eacharm (I having secured to it another arm (1, whichcarries an anti friction-roller cl, acted upon by a cam d on the shaftA.

The arms (1 are connected by a rod (Z and to the latter is connected oneend of a link (Z the upper end of which is hung to an arm d, swinging onthe shaft B and having secured to it another arm (Z which carries anantifriction-roller (Z acted upon by a cam (Z on the shaft A.

The suction-nozzles f are carried by a transverse pipe f, whichismounted in the lower ends of links f hung to bell-crank levers fswinging on the shaft B, one arm of each of these levers f having anantil'riction -rollerf, acted upon by a cam 011 the shaft A. The pipe fis also connected by a link f to the lower end of an arm f hung to theshaft 13, and to this arm f is connected another arm f having anantifriction-rollerf, acted upon by a cam f on the shaft A.

The ruflling-fingers (Z and suction-nozzlesf are therefore capable offorward, backward, and vertical movement, the latter movement beingcontrolled independently of the forward and backward movements, so thatthe lower ends-of the ruffiing-fingers and suction-nozzles can by properformation of the operatingcams be made to take any course desired.

The cams which actuate the ruffiing-fingers (Z are preferably so formedthat said fingers travel in a perfectly horizontal course over the topsheet of the pile and after they reach the limit of their forwardmovement are raised directly up from the paper, as shown in Fig. 4, arecarried backward while so raised, as shown in Fig. 5, and are then againdropped down into contact with the paper preparatory to anotherhorizontal forward movement.

The suction-nozzlcs f are first lifted so as to clear the front edge ofthe paper from the raised retaining-bar t' and are then carried forwardso as to draw the sheet of paper over said raised retaining-bar andpresent it to the grippers or feed-rolls of the machine in connectionwith which the feeder is used.

The top sheet of paper is buckled or waved in that portion adjacent tothe clamp-bar 'i,

and there is then an'indraft' of air into the nozzles f, so as to causethe sheet of paper to approach and attach itself to the lower end of thenozzles, to which the sheet is caused to adhere by reason of themaintenance of a partial vacuum in said nozzles due to the closing ofthe lower end of the same by the sheet of paper, this partial vacuumbeing maintained during the forward movement of the nozzles, the vacuumbeing broken by the admission of air to the nozzles as soon as the frontedge of the sheet of paper has been outer end of the pile at a pointclose to the top of the same, these blasts being derived from a pipe m,suitably disposed.

The mechanism whereby the air is directed to the blast-pipe m andwithdrawn from the suction-nozzles f is shownin Figs. 2, 6, and 7 Thepipe f, which carries the suction-nozzles f, communicates through a pipef with a chest f containing a sliding valve f, the

pipe f having a suitable valve f and having a flexible portion whichpermits the necessary movements of the pipe f. The chest f alsocommunicates through a pipe f with the suction end of a combined suctionand blast apparatus F, said pipe f having a valved branch f throughwhich air may be permitted to enter said pipe f in volume regulated bythe adjustment of the valve.

The blast end of the apparatus communicates through a pipe m with achest m containing a valve m and said chest also com municates through apipe m, having a regulated valve m with the blast-pipe m.

The pipe m has a valved branch on, permitting a discharge from saidpipe, regulated by the adjustment of the valve. The valve f has a stemf, provided at the upper end with an antif-riction-roller f acted uponby a cam f on the shaft A, said roller being maintained in contact withthe cam by means of a spring f acting on the valve-stem f". In likemanner the valve m has a stem m7 with antifriction-roller m acted on bya cam m on the shaft A, a spring m serving to maintain the roller incontact with the cam.

Each of the valves f and m has a port or passage extending through it,and when the valve f 15 is depressed this port or passage provid cs acommunication between the pipes f 11 and f and thus placesthe pipe f andits suc- IIO ii0n11OZZl6Sfil1 communication with the suction end of theapparatus F, so as to provide for the withdrawal of air from thesuctionnozzles, the force of the draft, and conse V quently the degreeof vacuum, maintained in the suction-nozzles being dependent upon theadjustment of the valves f 14 and f, the former regulating the freedomof flow through the pipe f while the valve f regulates the amount ofleakage into the pipe f 15 and thus determines the eifcctive draft ofthe apparatus F during the time that the suction-nozzles are carryingthe paper forward.

YVhen the valve f is raised, both of the pipes f and f 15 can.communicate freely with the open interior of the valve-chestf Hence thepipe f is cut off from connection with the suction apparatus F and aircan freely enter the suction-nozzles through said pipe f and pipe f.

XVhen the valve m is raised, its port or passage provides acommunication between the pipes at and m, and thus places the blast-pipem in communication with the blast end of the continuous-exhaustapparatus F, and when said valve is depressed it partially cuts off thiscommunication, as shown in Fig. 7 so that the blast-pipe m iscontinuously supplied with air under pressure, the flow of air being fora time restricted, so as to provide a gentle blast against the edges ofthe sheets of paper, and being then for a short time suddenly increased,so as to produce a sharper blast during the time that thesuction-nozzles are acting to pick up the sheet of paper. In this casealso the force of the blast can be regulated by the adjustment of thevalve m and of the valve in the branch in, the former governin g theflow through the pipe m and the latter controlling the leakage of airfrom the pipe on. The use of these leakage-valves on the suction anddischarge pipes is important, because it prevents the abrupt cutting offor obstruction of the supply to the suction end of the apparatus F or ofthe discharge from the delivery end, and thus permits of the maintenanceof substantially uniform operative conditions at all times.

Although I have shown two levers f and two levers formed by the arms d(Z it will be evident that but one of each. of these, suitably disposed,might be used, or, on the other hand, in a wide machine the number oflovers used might be considerably increased. 1 have also shown an dprefer to use a number of ruttlingfingers and a number ofsuction-nozzles, but in feeding narrow strips of paper one of each ofthese parts might suifice.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. The combination in a paper-feeding device, of liftingmechanism having as an element a ratchet and pawl, a vibrating armcarrying saidpawl, and a rock-shaft having three arms, one acted upondirectly by a cam for rocking the shaft, the second having a projectionacting directly on the pawl, and the third having a detector-rod bearingupon the pile of sheets, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a paper-feeding device, of a support for the pileof sheets, a series of suction-nozzles, a pipe carrying the same, a pairof cams, a shaft having a pair of bell-crank levers acted 011 by saidcams and so mounted that their outer ends swing in a substantiallyvertical plane, links connecting the suction-pipe to thevertically-swingin g ends of said levers, an arm mounted on thelevenshaft and having its lower end swinging in a substantiallyhorizontal plane, another arm on said shaft, a cam acting on said arm,and a link connecting the lower end of the horizontally-swin gin g armto the suction-p ipe, substantially as specified.

3. The combination in a paper-feeding device, of a support for the pileof sheets, a buckling-finger, a suction-nozzle, a bar for clamping thefront end of the pile of sheets, rocking arms carry-ing said bar, ashaft carrying said arms, a pinion on said shaft, a rack engaging withsaid pinion, and a cam for imparting movement to said rack,substantially as specified.

4:. The combination in a paper-feeding device, of a support for the pileof sheets, a blast pipe for delivering blasts of air toward the edges ofsaid sheets, a pipe providing communication between said blast-pi pc andan airforcing apparatus, and means for controlling the flow of airthrough said pipe whereby provision is afforded for maintaining a gentleblast which is increased in force at intervals, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT MQKEE.

Witnesses:

WILL A. RARE, J osnrn U. KLEIN.

